Never Mind
by Wanting Memories
Summary: After five years, the members of group decide to go their own ways. Are Shippo and Inuyasha the only ones who are surprised by this? Are they the only ones who mind?
1. UpSideDown

A/N: This isn't going to be anything epic by far, I just wanted to start somehting that I could write the chapters for easily in my spare time. Don't wprry, "Dreams" chapter 26 comming soon!

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Shippo hadn't thought it would end like this. He thought that he would be a part of one large, if not slightly off-beat family. But now nothing was happening the way he had assumed it would. Really, they had all been traveling together for nearly five years. He was nearly a man, and he was going to have to say goodbye to those he had been raised by. It made no sense to him.

As he grew older and learned more about relationships, Shippo had become sure that Inuyasha and Kagome would one day wed, or at least mate. He had become sure that Sango and Miroku may wander off down their own path, but it would always be with one another and never too far away from where Inuyasha and Kagome ended up. He assumed that Kagome would live here and visit her time. He assumed that he would live in Kagome and Inuyasha's family. Maybe help raise some pups until he was ready to journey off to find his own mate. He thought that even if he didn't live _with_ them, that they would all live in the same village—Kaede's.

But, no. None of that was happening. Five years. Five years of living together and caring for one another. That sounded like family to him. But, apparently it wasn't because family couldn't just leave. Kagome was going back to her own time to make up for lost college years, Sango was going back to her village to restore it and train new demon slayers, Kirara would go with her of course. Miroku, without his inevitable death growing on his right hand, had decided that he would return to traveling the land looking for women and loot. Never mind that even Shippo could now see that Sango had grown red at the thought of Miroku with other women. Never mind that he could see Inuyasha's older, pained expression when Kagome said she wanted to make up for lost time at college. Never mind that he had heard her angrily confide in Sango after a fight with Inuyasha: "I'm not waiting around for him anymore. If he isn't mature enough to admit how he feels about me, then he'll lose me. I'm not dependent on having a man in my life. I can do quite fine on my own thank you very much."

Never mind that he had no clue what he was going to do with his life.

Never mind that he had noticed that Inuyasha was the only one who seemed to feel the same as he did about the impending situation.

Never mind that the world had been spun up-side-down.


	2. What She Would Give

Kagome poked her fingers into one worn outer pocked of her disheveled yellow backpack. The thing had been done for the day she first leapt into the well with it over-stuffed on her shoulders, but she had made it last her out. _Oh well,_ she thought. _When I go to college I'll buy a brand-new one as a coming back gift to myself._ She twisted her index finger in the tiny pocket, but did not feel what she was searching for. Hosting the heavy-dead-weight of the bag over her head, she shook it up and down to try to release the tiny artifact.

"Oh come on," she mumbled in concentration.

"Need any help?"

Kagome stopped in mid-shake, her eyes wide and her heart sinking as it always did now that she was older and more aware of the direction of their relationship. _Yeah, I need you to help me start a life with you finally. _She closed her eyes and swallowed what she was going to say. "Yes, if you don't mind."

Inuyasha bent down and sat cross-legged to her left and slightly behind her. She used to love when he sat like that, as if he wanted her in his vision at all times, but now she had grown irritated with it. Now, all she thought of was the fact that he was avoiding her eyes. He had been avoiding her eyes for years.

"What are ya lookin' for?"

Kagome closed her eyes and breathed out. _No, girl he needs to come to you. He already knows there's no other man. He already knows you've waited for him far too long. _She shuddered as she felt his warm hand reach her shoulder.

"Hey, you okay Kagome?"

She had a friend in middle school that was involved in a lot of school plays and aspired to be an actor. She once asked him how he went up on stage on days when he was sick and act out such vivacious, energetic parts. He told her that when he was younger his drama teacher told him that no matter what, whether you were sick, heartbroken, or just tired, you had to get over it and worry about the part you had to play. She told him to sell it. Kagome had found amusement in it, but never forgot it. Now she was finding herself holing onto those words to keep her mouth from betraying her. _Sell it._

Grinning, she turned to look at the cause of her heartache in the face. "Fine," she nodded. She could never act, even the few times she lied to her mother, she never pulled it off. But today she was feeling particularly brilliant, even in front of the man who could read her better than anyone else in the world.

"Fine?"

"Fine."

Inuyasha lifted an eyebrow. "Really?"

Kagome rolled her eyes and laughed. "Yes, Inuyasha."

He studied her for a moment, and then dropped his hand from her shoulder. If he hadn't done that, she would have lost it; she would have died right there and lost herself in him. You weren't supposed to lose control in that way unless it was the perfect moment: candles, soft lighting, and music. You weren't supposed to just die in someone's arms in the middle of the day, in an old priestess' hut. But, for heaven's sake! She had only kissed the guy once! He had been her first and only kiss, her first and only love for almost five years. She was so sick of waiting for any delicate moment from him, she would leave him so she wouldn't make the stupidest mistake of her life and wake up the next morning without him. Or worse, if she woke up and he was still there, but only because he felt bound to her because of a stupid mistake. But, if he asked, she would give up all her dreams for a future with him for just one night of his touch and hearing him say "I love you."

She shook her head, realizing her companion was growing concerned again.

"Never mind, Inuyasha." She breathed. "I'd rather be alone right now."


	3. All the Magic in the World Couldn't Help

A/N: As you can see, this fic is purely for my own fun in between classes at school. Obviously, there is a "theme." It seems too simple to call it a "theme," but ah, whatever. No research goes into this (unlike "Gravity Keeps Pulling Me Back," which has become a major research issue for me ). No real deep meaning or anything. It's purely for fun.

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Souta, Kagome's brother had once asked him who had said "I love you" first.

Who had said it? He knew he never told her, though he knew it was the most blatantly obvious thing he ever wore on his face. He had never told her.

And had she ever told him…had she?

She said once during a desperate moment to keep him sane "I love you has a half-demon!" But did she really mean to say that? She had repeated it yes, but never outside of that one moment when she feared for his human soul.

And she had kissed him.

And the most amazing thing was that it got through. Through the boiling demon blood and the raging effects of Kaguya's spell, she got through to him.

And that was pure magic.

So why in the hell didn't he have the balls to ask her to stay with him? Not to leave and go back to her own time, but stay. He was scared. If he let her leave now, he would never have the courage to leap back through that well to catch her. She would have a new life without him. In his place there might stand a new love, or perhaps the Hojo guy.

He rubbed his fingers over the beads on his seal without noticing he was doing it. She could perform magic just from a few words and a kiss, but he couldn't tell her how he felt.

"Coward," he mumbled and shoved his hands into his haori sleeves. "Stupid coward. You are about to let everything you ever wanted slip through your claws. You don't even have any excuses anymore. Naraku is dead. The Shikon Jewel hangs around Kagome's neck…Kikyo is dead."

He closed his eyes and tapped his foot against the cool earth. "None, and you are still gonna avoid it? Damn coward."

"Inuyasha?" The young monk interrupted. "Are you alright?"

The young half-demon glanced up at his friend. His face pulled into a grimace. He felt betrayed by Miroku—the man who never had any qualms about asking a woman to stay, yet didn't seem to mind watching Sango trot away from him forever—his only real male friend in his entire life.

He found himself growling. "What the hell do you want, lecher?"

Miroku stopped in his steps toward Inuyasha and looked utterly miffed. "Hmm…" He regarded his friend with confusion and rocked his staff back and forth in the ground, digging a small hole.

Inuyasha turned away from him and leapt onto the roof of Kaede's hut. "Just leave me alone pervert."

Miroku considered this idea, but decided against it and found he was climbing up a neighboring tree to reach the top of the hut as well. He pulled his staff up with him and sat down next to where Inuyasha moped. He sighed and let himself relax under the warm sun.

Inuyasha flicked his ears in the monk's direction. "What'd ya think you're doin'?"

Miroku smiled. "Just thought I might meditate up here for a while. I can see more of nature from up here…makes enlightenment easier."

"Ah."

He turned his head to watch his friend's pathetically postured form. "Might have something you want to talk about?"

Inuyasha flinched and narrowed his eyes on Miroku.

Miroku noticed the growling sounds begging to form in his friend's chest. "Not so much, then?"

The half-dog-demon snarled and sprang off the roof to land neatly on two feet on the ground. He stood for a moment, scratching his ear, then turned and began to slowly walk off into the forest.

"Just leave me alone, Miroku." The monk could hear the small whimper escape him. "Never mind me."


End file.
